


Bad Karma In Chicago

by medusasvirtue



Category: Pro Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: (not between the main couples tho), Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Alternate Universe - Homeless, Alternative Universe-No Wrestling, Angst, Brie Bella is a national treasure, Dean Ambrose | Jon Moxley & Roman Reigns Friendship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, Family Bonding, Florist Brie Bella, Fluff and Angst, Homeless Roman Reigns, Hurt/Comfort, Insecure Roman Reigns, Male-Female Friendship, Minor Violence, Multi, Mutual Pining, Oblivious, Oblivious Brie Bella, Originally Posted on Wattpad, Past Relationship(s), Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Possessive Behavior, Possessive Roman Reigns, Pray for roman yall, Protective Cm Punk, Protective Roman Reigns, Roman Reigns Has Low Self-Esteem, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Hatred, Short Story, Slow Burn, Soft Roman Reigns, Unhealthy Relationships, i am in rare pairing hell and i can't get up, soft everyone
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-21
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:21:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28904796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/medusasvirtue/pseuds/medusasvirtue
Summary: After a terrible incident that ruined his sports career, Roman Reigns falls apart. Fleeing from his home in Florida all the way to the cold Chicago, he attempts to rebuild a new life for himself while trying to forget his old one. Even if that new life means being homeless, hurting, and alone.Brie Bella, a flower shop owner with a dark past of her own, opens her home and heart for him.Even if Roman doesn't think he deserves to be in them.
Relationships: AJ Lee/CM Punk, Brie Bella & AJ Lee, Brie Bella & CM Punk, Brie Bella & Nikki Bella, Brie Bella/Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose | Jon Moxley & Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose | Jon Moxley & Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins | Tyler Black, Dean Ambrose | Jon Moxley/Nikki Bella, Kevin Owens | Kevin Steen/Sami Zayn | El Generico (Background), Paige | Britani Knight/Seth Rollins | Tyler Black, Roman Reigns & Everyone
Kudos: 7





	Bad Karma In Chicago

**Author's Note:**

> I got insomnia at 2 am and all I got was this dumb fanfic jsjsjjs I got feels from my 2016 otps don't judge

_ "Uh...Hey, Rome! Wanna hear a funny story? I was just about to put some pink hair dye in your shampoo bottle while you were at the gym, but uh... Your stuff wasn't there. I asked some of the hotel staff if they saw you, but they told me you already left. You...Alright? Give me a call back." _

_ "Hey, Rome! It's Seth!... Again. So, not to give you a heart attack or anything, but Dean's been watching some YouTube fuckery again. He's making a beeline for every fast food place right now. Says he wants to find out how many slices of pizza he can stuff in his mouth before his jaw breaks. He's going to need some help, so if you wanna join, we're at Chuck E. Cheese right now,-- Dean! DEAN! Leave that robot alone,-- I gotta go, but call me back, alright?" _

_ "Hey, Rome? It's been, like, two days and I'm starting to freak out a little bit. If you want to be alone, that's fine, but could you at least tell me if you're okay? " _

_ "Yo, Uce! Uncle Dean here. Listen, watching Seth blow up your phone like a nagging wife is seriously hilarious, but could you just give him a call? He's more annoying than usual when his mother hen instincts kick in. You might want to make it quick, Ma's coming to visit today. I'll see you back at home?" _

_ "Look, Ro, it was funny at first. Ha-ha, let's pull a Jimmy Kimmel and scare the hell out of Seth. Well, it worked, because he's seriously freaking out, and Ma is, too. I get it, its...Tough for you, right now. Cope with it how you want, it's your life, but don't leave us out of it. Seth wants to call the cops. And you know I don't like my bacon at my door, so hurry up back." _

_ "Roman, it's Dean! It's been almost a fucking week,so could you spare some of your precious time to let your family know you're not dead in a ditch? Because I swear to fucking God, Joe, if you're doing what I think you're doing, -- No, Seth, give me the phone back, he needs to hear this--," _

_ "What the FUCK?! You blocked my and Seth's numbers?! Your mother is worried sick about you! We all are! And that's how you wanna act?! Joseph, I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you, but don't pull that shit right now, you hear me!? I can't go through that again, I, -"  _

_ Beep.  _

**_ Delete voicemails? _ **

Roman's finger hovers above the screen, meticulously ignoring the sinking sensation pooling around his stomach. Dread takes form in droplets of sweat tickling along his right cheekbone. Perhaps, if he stalls his awareness long enough, he could pretend they're not tears. 

A part of him, raging, wild, more beast than man, howls for his family. It's ravenous for Dean's snide remarks, only venomous to the ones cut from weaker cloth, for the quick-witted, sharp-edged sarcasm only Seth could make sound elegant, for his mother's warm embraces, that chased sadness and worry away. 

The other side of him thunders as he remembers the disappointment in the blond's steel gaze, narrowed and stormy, matching almost perfectly with the pair of watery brown eyes, glistening in sorrow and piercing through Roman's skin, sharper than any knife.

The other part howls harder. 

His index finger trembles as he presses  **_ Yes.  _ **

The device shatters once it collides with the iron train rails below him. Small components land sporadically at the force used, years of memories, midnight and sunset long talks, laughter, cries, all laid destroyed and waiting to be dust. The cracked glass screen tumbles, once, twice, until it reaches the edge of the platform, right by his feet. 

The image showcased flickered erratically, yet Roman's eye only needs a second to see it; two more for his heart to break. His face stares back at him, down from the glitching screen. He almost doesn't recognize himself. 

The radiance of his smile was blinding, made of sunlight and laugh marks, free of the despondency and misery that will erase it later. Roman's jaw tightens as he studies the shine of his eyes, crinkling in joy, happiness bright and so warm it scorches his bitter soul deeply. 

The sight of him cackling with a laughing Seth in the shot , one arm slung over one of his best friend's shoulder as the other man throws his head backward and cradles his belly while Dean is perched on Roman' back, forearm wrapped securely around his neck for balance as his tongue sticks and his middle finger raises, cracks at his heart.

Morbidly, a bitter smile crosses his lips. 'Just wait a few more days, you stupid little fucker,' he thinks. It soothes him, knowing the younger, unhurt, happy version of himself will walk through fire just like he is. 

Roman just wishes his mouth didn't taste like ashes. 

A hand grabs his shoulder and pulls him down, and he's surprised enough to fall. "What are you, fucking insane?!" Roman's mind races, lighting fast as it tries to make some sense of what's going on. 

A man in uniform stands above him, impressively tall, bulky, his long hair complimenting his wrinkled face well. The hard sulk of his brows and his hard gaze kills off any words on Roman's tongue. 

"Listen, kid, you wanna kill yourself? Be my goddam guest, but do it somewhere where others don't have to clean up your mess, " The worker's, - He's gotta be, judging by the formal dress up,- words sound muted, not reaching his ringing eardrum. Roman wants to reply, ask what he meant by that, but as soon he sees the train dashing smoothly behind them, he understands. 

A laugh bubbles from his throat, hollow, unhappy. "I wasn't trying to,- I just wanted to grab something. Death's too good for me, anyway."

The old man falls silent. He decides to speak again, this time softer, fatherly almost. "What could've been so fucking important that you almost bit the dust for it?" Roman bites his tongue and trains his gaze forward, abruptly interested in his beaten-up shoes. A sigh causes him to look up. 

"You homeless?"

His cheeks burn with embarrassment. Out of his situation, or because apparently his exterior was so trashed up others could tell, he couldn't say. 

"It's a simple question. How about you tell me, and I give you a peanut?"

"Yes, I am. Is it that obvious?"

The man huffs. "You want the truth, or do you wanna feel good about yourself?"

Roman scoffs, amused despite himself. "Forgot how that felt like a long time ago, buddy."

An unimpressed sound makes its way past the man's lips. The cool floor bites through Roman's patchy jeans, so he figures getting up now would be as good of a time as any. As he scans his surroundings, the lack of noise truly settles the peaceful, if not a little sinister, prospect of the establishment quite well.

"Suppose I can't stay the night, huh?"

"You're from Florida, aren't you?" The blunt question triggers a shiver that races through the marrow of his spine all the way down to his toes. A wt gulp drenches his parched throat, making his Adam's apple bobble. The stoicness of his features stays firm, yet horrified questions hive his mind and spike up his heartbeat.

_ "How the fuck does he know that? What gave it away? He knows. There's no way he doesn't know. They made sure everyone knew, it's why I'm here in the first place. How does he know though, how did he figure it out,-" _

"Shivering like a fucking soaked rat. You're not gonna last a day." With a low grumble, the man reaches to fish something from his pocket. Roman can't make out what he's saying under his breath, and his glare doesn't make him want to find out, either. 

The man's hand holds out a piece of paper, wrinkled and neatly folded. "Here. Go to this place, tell them 'Taker sent you. Should be of some help." 

Roman hesitates, suddenly growing suspicious. "I've been lasting well enough." They can both smell the lie behind that brave statement. His fingers itch for it, however, tingling with curiosity. The man arches an eyebrow, shrugs his boxy shoulders, and goes to pack the paper back, but Roman's hands snatch it away before he can even close his fists.

The Samoan thanks him wordlessly, a brief nod to signal his gratitude, even if his chest feels heavy as humiliation burns, only the kind of humiliation that stays at being forced to rely on the mercy of strangers for survival, can burn like. 

Vulnerability. No fiercer burn than that. 

Taker seems to understand, and thankfully, decided not to press any longer. "Go wash up before you go, kid. You look like Hell," the older man mumbles, taking a not so discreet whiff around the air. His face scrunches comically, causing Roman to chuckle. "Smell like it, too."

"Hazards of the workplace..." Roman replies, dragging himself to one of the public bathrooms around the area. Taking one last look at the train rails, pointedly ignoring the horrible ache spreading in his ribcage, he turns around, paper clenched in his hand.

He roams silently, ghost-like, not even hearing his own footsteps. Training to become invisible paid well, he supposed. He carefully unfolds the paper, eager to see the inside. Surprise flares as he reads over the writing. 

An address. 

**_ 'Brie Bella, - Birdiebee Avenue.' _ **

**Author's Note:**

> Was?? That a good start JDJDJD I realize its kinda short for a prologue but I was really excited to post this :>> Also!! Just a bit of clarification regarding the tags, I wanna say that I plan on including everyone mentioned. But since I plan on doing a pretty big work, and no chapter above 1-2k words, as I'm still getting the time to know the fandom and such, the characters will appear rather later. 
> 
> But that being said, I thank everyone who's willing to give this book a chance and thank you so much for reading! I'd love to know what you think :> Kudos and comments are greatly appreciative. 
> 
> Well, until next time!
> 
> From Europe with love, 
> 
> \- Silky.


End file.
